The Irish standard., 1887-08-27

towards Coolbawn. But Miss Evans
could not help paying more attention to
Tim Croak's movements than to any
thing else. Tim wound up through the
furZe from the bottom of the glen,
never altering his pace till he reached
his own door. He remained in the
house for few minutes and then ap-
peared again. Down through the furze
ard up the opposite side Of the glen
went Tim Croak, having stopped for Il
moment at a cIump Of brushwood near
the bottom On through the fern along
the side OF the hill, then across two OK
three small fields, then through thick
| plantation, on to the bank Of the river
and now apparently for the first time
that day, Tim Croak begins TO walk.
Miss Evans remarks that he is taking
the path to the cottage-the same that
Brian Purcell! took, without knowing it..
the day his steps We're arrested by the
privet hedge But now the hounds are
securing The glen in every direction,
appearing and disappearing among the
furze. An old white hound dashes at
full speed down by the clump Of brush
wood at which Tim Croak had stopped
for a moment. The old hound checks
himself SO suddenly that he falls and
tumbles over and over Before he has
time to recover himself two other
hounds bear down upon the clump. and
the moment they reach it give tongue.
Immediately the whole pack are in full
cry. j he 'meIodiOus discord' is borne
upon the wind. and re-echoed by the
! woods, and goes pea]ing along the hill,
till Miss Evans feels her pulse beat
quicker, and Brian Purcell takes hold
of her bride rein, her horse having
tossed her head wildly. and shown other
symptoms Of becoming nnmanageable-
Even Doctor Forbs' remarkable mare
tossed her head, or rather moved it up
and down, and reared her forefeet two
several times fully two inches from the
ground. AT which Doctor Forbis pulls
the rein tight and says: Steady now,
old lass! Brian Purcell is excited, too:
but not so much so, we should think, as
not to be aware that d small hand is
resting on his shoulder--and with con-
siderable weight for SO small {: hand.
On go the hounds up the side Of the
glen, through the fern on the hill,
through. the fields, the plantation. to
the river. Here there is a full stop and
evident confusion. The horsemen pull
up, aud begin to move slowly towards
the spot where the hounds are at fault.
The old white hound tries back to the
clump Of brushwocd in the glen, and
returns, wish his nose to the ground, to
the river. And now both Miss Evans
and Brian Purcell remark that he has
followed every turn OF Tim Croak's |
track, which makes Brian shrewdly
suspect that Him, for some purpose OF
his own. has played his patrons a trick.
When Tim Croak reached the cottage.
for the second time that morning lie |
frightened UP Oh seeing Matt HaZlitt,
Whe was absent when ne had called De-
fore
Blur an -agers.; he exclaims, where
is Button?'
why SOP says Matt Hazlitt.
'D--n we'll you know. Kerrynan
is in the quarry
'Humph" says Matt Halzitt, but
make no move indicative Of an inten
tiop to produce Button. This rather
astonishes Tim, who, heretofore, found
Matt Hazlitt very ready to afford But
ton an opportunity Of distinguishing
himself.
THE fox is not in the quarry said
Matt.
Where the devil else would he be?'
Tim asks irascibly. lie was sittin' on
ais rump forninst the door when /
opened it at the fust light; an glad I
was to see him, for I was in dhread Of
ny life he'd give us the slip. on account
If the marquis horses comm yester-
lay. But as luck happened, they come
oe the back gate, an me lad never sus-
oected anything
Matt Hazlitt pulled large basket
rom under a table, and began tossing
lead ducks one by one on the floor. Tim
stood aghast at the number. He bet
he devil said Tim Croak. But what
be to kill your ducks when he
,illed mine. I thought you used to
ock 'em up in the fowl-house?'
But it was after letting 'eul out in
he morning he did this
las sure as you're born,' Tim OBJ
eryed, after duly considering the mat
er. twas reviuge for the skelpipg he {
ot from thegander.'
They have a fox!' said Matt HaZlitt,
n hearing the cry Of the hounds.
Tim shoots his head, and told Matt I
onfdentiaI]y that TO prevent disap-
ointment he ran a drag from the cover S
0 the river. AM now, continued Tin. 1
S he lighted his pipe, let 'em make 7
/ out be their larllin.' and go look for |
fox at Rathcopple.
Captain Dawson rode up to the cot a